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Toyota Echo

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Comments

  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Hi Dean - welcome to the Town Hall!

    You might want to cross-post your message on our Finance, Warranty & Insurance board while you are waiting for some suggestions here.

    That's an interesting question - let us know how it goes for you.
  • kaz6kaz6 Member Posts: 331
    The biggest difference between the two is the feel of the car. Elantra is much more heavy in feel and much quieter. They both are quiet in terms of lack of wind noise. Highway mileage has been very close between the two in the driving I do. Elantra: 33mpg ECHO: 35mpg The city mileage is much worse in Elantra: 22mpg ECHO: 30mpg! Both have very comfortable interiors for long trips. Elantra GT has 8-way adjustable driver's seat with lumbar support. The biggest reason I chose the Elantra GT is the hatchback and huge cargo area. I miss my ECHO's driving position and mpg.
    Still love the ECHO and its looks! My ECHO was same price as Elantra GT hatch after rebate!
  • odmanodman Member Posts: 309
    If it were me, I'd buy a used Toyota Yaris (it is what the Echo is called in Europe) in Germany rather than go through the hassle of trying to import an American car.

    How long is your tour of duty there? You will have the problem of either selling locally or shipping back any car you bring over.
  • deanc2000deanc2000 Member Posts: 11
    Hi Odman,
           The problem with buying a German spec car is that I will have to go through the hassle of selling the car when my 3 year tour is up. I would rather buy an American spec car, and the government will pay the shipping for one car back to the states. Anything over one car, you'll have to foot the bill.
         American spec cars specially the Toyota Echo are few and far between here. I've got my heart set on buying one, and I only had the choice of one American spec Echo here, which I didn't like. So I've gotten an EXCELLENT deal on a 2000 Echo in the states, and I will pay the shipping for it (about $1500). The end cost is going to be LESS than the best deal I was looking at here for a good used car with a reasonable warranty.
          I think it's better to buy the car one wants and pay a little bit extra, if that is necessary, than to settle for a car that one will "settle" for. I'm actually very excited about this purchase.

    Dean.
  • deanc2000deanc2000 Member Posts: 11
    Hi,
         I'm looking at a 2000 Echo with everything I want, but without a rear window defroster. Everyone please tell me if the absence of this should be concerning to me. Thanks.

    Dean.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    It can be really inconvenient not to have a rear defogger, especially in colder climates. Also, I know for a fact at least one state here (NY) requires a rear defogger in every vehicle.
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    I just ordered a trailer hitch for my ECHO so I can take my 14 foot aluminum boat about a mile down to the lake. Has anyone else pulled a trailer with their ECHO? How did you do the lights? The hitch bolts on easily enough by removing the four bolts that hold towing eyes and simply bolting he hitch on.
  • jackiedoodlejackiedoodle Member Posts: 11
    Does anyone know what the red button next to the dimmer switch on some 2000 Echos is for?
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Factory alarm. Both of my friends' 2000 Echo sedans have the red light there and an alarm on both of the cars. If you look at it, it blinks when the car's off and the alarm is set.
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    I thought the alarm is a dealer-installed option, and they can put the blinking LED anywhere you want?
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I can't remember if it's factory or not, but they always seem to put the light there in every Echo with an alarm I have been in. It's a little sensitive though, set off easily by high winds when we have rainstorms in both friends' cars.
  • romigromig Member Posts: 11
    Car reviews are political like everything else is. Car reviews are opinions Look at Edmunds review then look at consumer products review on the ECHO both are completely different review opinions.I hope they quit making the ECHO then you will see the value rise as it is the car of the century
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    If they do stop making the ECHO at least the SCION B looks exacly like the echo hatch sold everyplace else but here.
  • aeroterremeraeroterremer Member Posts: 79
    My husband and I were shopping at Ala Moana Center in Honolulu yesterday. When we returned to our car, there was a man in a silver Lexus waiting in the lane just beyond our Echo. He got out of his car and approached us, handing his business card to us. Turns out he was with a production company which makes commercials for AIG-HI. He said they were looking for a white Echo in good condition to represent the "finished" car. He showed us a digital picture of the damaged Echo. At first we thought he was a con but upon checking out references, he was the real thing. He said the shoot was scheduled for the next day. Anyway, to make a long story short, those of you who live in Hawaii look for our white Echo in the next AIG-HI commercial. They said her part will only be about a second but it's exciting nevertheless. They're sending us a tape/cd of the finished commercial. For those of you who do not live in Hawaii, I can tell you that the AIG-HI commercials always are fun to watch. For those of you lucky to live here, be sure to watch out for the commercial. :)
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    At the risk of sounding ignorant, what's AIG-HI? Are they an insurance underwriter?
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    was the automotive co-star in the movie "One Hour Photo"
  • aeroterremeraeroterremer Member Posts: 79
    AIG-HI stands for American Insurance Group - Hawaii. They're comparable to insurance groups such as State Farm, Allstate, GEICO, etc. I did see 'One-Hour Photo' and enjoyed the Echo scenes. I found myself smiling, sometimes even giggling, at the Echo. I hope nobody thought I was crazy!
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    This company is probably doing more now to promote ECHO than Toyota has done in the four years of its existance.
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    I knew of AIG. The HI threw me off :)

    Unfortunately, in One Hour Photo, they used the Echo for some negative symbolization - it was supposed to symbolize Robin William's character's plain, dreary, boring existence.

    Please note that I personally don't think the Echo is anything like that!! (Don't hit me!)
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    Tomorrow is my ECHOs third birthday. Today we celebrated by going to Sears and having the tires rotated and balanced. The mechanic gave the car a visual inspection while up on the life and everything was hunky dory. 19.5k miles of troublefree motoring! But now theres no safety net.
  • aeroterremeraeroterremer Member Posts: 79
    Happy birthday to you,
    Happy birthday to you.
    Happy birthday kneisl1's ECHO,
    Happy birthday to you.

    Here's to many more happy years!!!
    :)
  • lakelandfllakelandfl Member Posts: 10
    Hello,
    I would like to thank everyone here for all the new's on the Echo. I had to go out and buy me a Echo this week after all the good news that you all have talked about on here.I had to look all over FL to get a 2002 Echo but i did get one after alot of hard work and looking at all the Toyota lot's on line .I drove about 40 miles to look at a 2001 Echo but after i got to the car lot the car did not look very clean and it was just a mess so i went all the way back home and got back online and then drove about 35 miles to look at a 2002 Echo and that was the one for me it is so cute and very very clean so it's now mine and i love it .It's Black 2 door 5 speed with A/C PS PB AM/FM AND Tint on the windows it has 20,000 miles on it .What a fun car to drive and it has good get up and go with the 5speed well thanks for all your help .I had a 2003 Hyundai sonata but my payment was to much so i had to down size but i'm very happy with the Echo .
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    Good luck with your new ECHO! You have excellent taste in cars if we say so ourselves! To join the club offically you have to write a letter to Edmunds saying how much you like your ECHO and what a good car it is. (read their review of ECHO...they think it stinks)
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    I seem to recall that my 2001 ECHO was advertised to get 41 mpg on the highway, but the Toyota site for the 04 claims 43, Did the mileage grow?
  • lakelandfllakelandfl Member Posts: 10
    I still can't get over how good this small car drives. What a great car to have i still think toyota should keep makeing the Echo .
  • wrgrahamwrgraham Member Posts: 112
    Last weekend we passed 90K miles on our 2000 Echo 4 door. Runs great as always.
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    Wrgraham what needed to be replaced in that 90k miles? Water pump, alternator, exhaust system, brakes? What kind of tires did you have and how long did they last?
  • pulgopulgo Member Posts: 400
    kneisl1:

    I would expect brake pads, transmission drain and refill, radiator drain and refill, new spark plugs, about 3 air filter changes, new accessory belts and the usual oil changes. Probably on the second set of tires.
    My own 2001 is at 71k and still on the first brake pads and tires. No defects whatsoever yet.
  • wrgrahamwrgraham Member Posts: 112
    Brakes are just fine at 90K, no replacement. I replaced the air filter once, and at 65K miles I took it in for the 60K major maintenance. (Never went for the 30K one.) Costly in Hilo, it was about $600 for the straight major maintenance, and I assume they replaced fluids and belts. Certainly no replacement of alternator, water pump or exhaust components. I am on my 3rd tires. I have gone 40K on each set. I only do one rotation, about half way thru. Maybe that is neglectful. Never even replaced any bulbs anywhere. I did need to get a driver side door switch replaced, the one that works the interior lights, etc. Still got the same plugs, they are Iridium ones and are spec'd for replacement at 120K in my owners maintenance book. I do my oil and filter changes on a 6000 mile schedule, using Castrol 10 30 oil. Twice along the way I have topped up the coolant. Never added oil except at changes. Power is still very good. One little body glitch, there is a horizontal seam on the rear fender areas. One of those has opened up and the internal plastic connector is not seated right. I have seen another Echo here with the very same problem. Maybe a bumper twang unseats something. No rust in the seam, I just have to figure how to get it back to proper seating.
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    Sounds like the car is holding up very nicely indeed. We all have a lot of troublefree miles to look forward to if your experience is any indication. If I may make a couple of suggestions: check your drive axle boots every oil change for splits. If you catch it soon enough youll just need new boots instead of new axles. Also, confirm they changed the belts on your receipt...if not you could have an inconvient failure after 90k miles. If its been 30k miles since the air filter was last changed (not sure from your post) its time for a new one.
  • wrgrahamwrgraham Member Posts: 112
    Thanks kneisl, I remember one of your prior posts talking about the condition of the boots and the advisability of checking them regularly. Which I have been doing since then. They look mint to me. I didnt receive any good detail about the 60K maintenance, so I can only trust their work. The belts look ok, and the tensions feel about right. I can check the air filter soon.
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    When the axle boots go, its usually the outer ones. They have to turn back and forth with the wheels while the inner ones run straight and seem to fail later, if at all. On my 1980 Subaru the outer ones failed every 60k miles. The ones on my Moms 92 Camry failed at 100k miles and ten years. Both cars have a rubber type boot. On my wifes 93 Saturn, I have noticed that the boots are a harder almost plastic rubber and they look absolutely fine after 11 years and 110k miles. The ECHO also has these harder plastic type boots. Im thinking they went to them after all the trouble people have had with this front wheel drive system. Just FYI.
  • romigromig Member Posts: 11
    I have owned and driven the following;
    a 1948 Harley Red And Black with a suicide clutch
    2 A l939 4 cylinder Indian Red 4 cylinder motorcycle
    3 A l961 BMW motorcycle model 69 with the Earls Fork I had it 40 years and always started on one kick. This bike had 150,000 miles. no Battery magneto spark This bike was foolproof
    4 a l968 corvette 427 engine gas was 7 miles per gallon...
    Now I have the car I like so much I hate to drive it, . I think I will save it The 2003 ECHO MANUEL WINDOWS AND MIRRORS COLOR red I will save this one and put it my living room. Then I will buy a 2 door with stick shift and after I wear it out I will then use the Red one. Does anyone think this is a good idea? I know people that done this with cars. A farmer had a model T FORD in his living room for many years .Just to look at it..
  • aeroterremeraeroterremer Member Posts: 79
    If your living room is big enough to accommodate red Echo and that's what you want, go for it. Just wondering, how will you get Echo inside the house?
  • romigromig Member Posts: 11
    Getting an ECHO inside a house is easy .You do what my uncle did. How designed a glider for the Army and it crashed .So he built a house arond the glider and re-built the glider it took him 7 years. After fixing glider he flew one more time and it broke the world record. This glider hangs in the Smithsonian,.I would do this for the ECHO as after I design and built the proper house. That is the easy part.. It will be worth it..
  • romigromig Member Posts: 11
    When Toyota made the ECHO for the young crowd they should have aimed for the Seniors as they have all the money. The young have no money. You get the Seniors with humor in the Toyota Echo adds.For example. There are kinds of senarios.. Have the rich Senior have his chaeuffer open the Ech0o door his boss to enter the car. Instead the rich Senior makes the driver sit in the back seat because the Senior wants to have fun..driving the ECHO Toyota has no imagination they have the same old boring adds. I am 80 years old and do not want to drive an old mans car like the Camry as they are boring and no fun I like the ECHO
  • romigromig Member Posts: 11
    I read them all and it took awhile.. I have never seen so many happy ECHO owners.. How can Toyota not see this.They should read them and notice there are many Seniors. Toyota made a mistake in thinking young ones would buy the ECHO, as they are contrary and do not know anything about anything..If Toyota wants to aim their cars to any group they should not tell anyone..
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    romig: My Toyota salesman told me that Toyota designed and built the Echo for young people as an inexpensive first car, and were very surprised to see the high percentage of older buyers. Last car?

    150,000 miles on your BMW bike? Wow.
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    ECHO is simply a great little car for whoever buys it...and the buyers tend to be older not younger. I wonder how much Toyota paid those people who told them the ECHO would sell to a younger crowd...
  • babyboomerbabyboomer Member Posts: 205
    Echo is for the young and the young at heart.
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    I pulled my new 14 foot aluminum boat 40 miles home with my ECHO last Tuesday. Together the boat and trailer weighed 400 pounds. I started out going 50 then inched up to 60 mph. Acceleration was pretty sluggish and going up hills dropped the speed 10 mph. I didnt have a chance to adjust the tongue weight however and Im pretty sure it was a little heavy. But the car pulled the trailer arrow straight and we got home fine.
  • romigromig Member Posts: 11
    The new Toyota Scion a has the same engine, filters and belts it sounds like the ECHO with a different name.
  • fuelmiserfuelmiser Member Posts: 26
    I want to buy a Canadian Echo hatchback. I live in Maryland, and am willing to drive up to the Buffalo/Niagara border area to get one. How is this done? What kind of problems can I anticipate with importing to the US? How does one get a rebate on Canadian taxes when doing this? Does the emission control system need to be replaced or enhanced? I would appreciate any advice you can give.
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    I cant imagine there is a legal way to do this. Sounds like a good way top lose a lot of money. Wait for the Scion to come out, its basically an ECHO and I believe its a hatch. I want an ECHO hatch with a 1.3 liter diesel.
  • pulgopulgo Member Posts: 400
    The Yaris in Europe comes with a 1.4 liter diesel, 75 hp, with a rating of 46 MPG city, 63.5 MPG highway. I'll bet you would like it. 0 to 60 is about 12 seconds, top speed is 106 mph.
  • romigromig Member Posts: 11
    The Toyota Scion a is a hatchback already sold in California.. Scion b looks like a London cab.
    What made the ECHO so controversial is that it is too far ahead of its time..To me my ECHO does not look weird, all the other cars look weird...
         I believe the ECHO is a collectible car they are already getting scarce as I am looking to buy more of them..A new one to replace mine when it is worn out, and used ones as investments and for parts. The new one will beat inflation as the prices will be triple for cars in the next 10 or 15 yearsI must find out how to mothball it as if not used the motor might bind. Does anyone out there think this is a good idea? I really do...

    .
  • kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    The ECHO is a very rare car in the sense that it is relatively cheap and economical to run (and its a Toyota which means quality) AND does everything a car needs to do very well. Its roomy and comfortable and fun to drive. There is no car with the quality of the ECHO at the price. So in THAT sense I agree with your desire to have one for years to come. Its hard to store a car, however. Little things wear out and make operation difficult or impossible, not to mention meeting emissions standards and inspections. Toyota has always made cars like the ECHO...first there was the Corolla and then the Tercel and now the ECHO. So I think your best bet is to maintain your ECHO and drive carefully and youll get 15 years out of it @ 10k miles per year. Then get a new car. Putting an ECHO in storage will be difficult. The car is very complicated electronicaly and in twenty years it wont work. The fuel system will deteriorate. The electrical connection will corrode and not work. No, therell have to be another ECHO type car in the future.
      By definition a collectible car is one that appriciates in value. Usually these are cars like convertibles and/or expensive cars that people dream after. Im afraid ECHO will never appriciate in value...there just isnt enough interest in it...many people hate it. I always thought I would be driving VW beetles. But they are just too old and rusted out to be practical. The ECHO is a wonderful car and I wish it would last forever or remain in production for 25 years. A diesel engine and a hatchback would be an improvement. I would LOVE a diesel Yaris, pulgo, yes I would!
  • lakelandfllakelandfl Member Posts: 10
    I have to say that i'm a Echo fan myself and i do love my Echo it's such a fun car to drive .I hope mine will last a long time i do take very good care of it .I wash and wax it just about every week it's black so it's hard to keep clean but i do like the way black car's look when there clean.
  • wrgrahamwrgraham Member Posts: 112
    I just got back from a week in Honolulu, with a Neon for a rent-a-car. Reminds me of my trip over there earlier this year when my compact rental turned out to be a Sunfire. These cars are like a big car to drive, they just dont take up quite as much room, or have as much room inside. Totally opposite from my Echo which has the responsiveness and agility that one would hope to encounter in a small car.
    I know the feeling that makes one want to collect an Echo. But I can only think it would prove to be a mistake in reality.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    Buy two, they're small!

    Seriously, if you bought two Echos, and used them both regularly (only downside being extra insurance cost), you could theoretically get twice as many years out of the current model. And if things started to wear out, with replacement parts not readily available, you could cannibalize one to keep the other one 100% roadworthy.

    But I think that would be excessive. And with reasonable care, you might easily get 200,000 miles or more out of the tiny Toyota. How many years would that take you to rack up those miles?

    In another 10 years or so, we'll all be using jet-packs on our backs or hovercraft to get around. I saw it in Mechanics Illustrated once, so I can guarantee it!
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